A MAN who raped two schoolboys has been jailed for 13 years.

Benjamin Waldron, 36, of Strawberry Fields, was found guilty after a trial at Ipswich Crown Court earlier this month of six offences of sexual assault and an offence of rape on one of the boys and an offence of rape on the other. He had denied the charges.

Jailing Waldron for 13 years, less 17 days he has spent in custody, Judge John Holt yesterday described the offences as “extremely serious”.

He said that during an interview with a probation officer for a pre-sentence report after his conviction, Waldron had started to accept what he had done to the boys.

In addition to jailing Waldron, Judge Holt made a Sexual Offences Prevention Order restricting his contact with children in the future.

Michael Procter, for Waldron, said the offences on one of the boys were “opportunistic” and said the rape of the other boy had been an isolated incident.

He said Waldron had made admissions to a probation officer, adding: “That shows a level of responsibility and a level of remorse. It’s a pity he didn’t display that attitude before putting his victims through a trial.”

Mr Procter said Waldron had been the victim of abuse when he was a child.

He said Waldron had a good work record and had not caused physical harm to the boys.